{"data":{"id":"us-ky/krs-157.3175","jurisdiction":"us-ky","citation":"KRS 157.3175","heading":"Preschool education program -- Grant allocation -- Eligibility for free","body":"preschool education -- Program components -- Certification of fully utilized\nprogram.\n(1) Each local school district shall ensure that a developmentally appropriat e half-day\npreschool education program is provided for each child who is at risk of educational\nfailure and who is four (4) years of age by August 1. All other four (4) year old\nchildren shall be served to the extent placements are available. The Kentucky Board\nof Education, upon the recommendation of the chief state school officer, shall adopt\nadministrative regulations establishing the guidelines for the program.\nAdministrative regulations shall establish eligibility criteria, program guidelines,\nand standards for personnel.\n(2) \"Developmentally appropriate preschool program\" means a program which focuses\non the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development of young children.\nThe preschool program shall help children with their interpersonal an d socialization\nskills.\n(3) Funds appropriated by the General Assembly for the preschool education programs\nshall be granted to local school districts according to a grant allotment system\napproved by the Kentucky Board of Education. Children who are at ri sk shall be\nidentified based on the Federal School Lunch Program eligibility criteria for free\nlunch. Appropriations shall be separate from all other funds appropriated to the\nDepartment of Education and shall be administered in accordance with applicable\nfederal and state statutes and administrative regulations. Eligible local school\ndistricts shall receive funds based on the average number of preschool children\nbeing served on December 1 and March 1 of the prior academic year who are\nappropriately identified as:\n(a) Three (3) and four (4) years of age with disabilities; and\n(b) Four (4) years of age identified as at risk of educational failure.\nLocal school districts may develop cooperative arrangements with other school\ndistricts or organizations in accordance with KRS 157.280.\n(4) A child shall be eligible for a free and appropriate preschool education and related\nservices if:\n(a) 1. The child has been identified as a child with a disability in accordance\nwith the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. sec.\n1400 et seq.; or\n2. The child has been identified in accordance with the definitions and\nprocedures for exceptional children and youth in accordance with KRS\n157.200(3)(a) to (m); and\n(b) The child is three (3) or four (4) years of age by August 1.\n(5) The chief state school officer shall receive and review proposals from local school\ndistricts for grants to operate or oversee the operation of developmentally\nappropriate preschool education programs. Districts may submit proposals for\nimplementing new services, enhancing exist ing preschool education services, or\ncontracting for services. In designing a local early childhood education program,\neach district shall work with existing preschool programs to avoid duplication of\nprograms and services, to avoid supplanting federal fun ds, and to maximize Head\nStart funds in order to serve as many four (4) year old children as possible.\n(6) Each program proposal shall include, at a minimum:\n(a) A description of the process conducted by the district to ensure that the\nparents or guardians  of all eligible participants have been made aware of the\nprogram and of their right to participate;\n(b) A description of the planned educational programming and related services;\n(c) The estimated number of children participating in the program;\n(d) Strategies for involving children with disabilities;\n(e) Estimated ratio of staff to children with the maximum being one (1) adult for\neach ten (10) children;\n(f) The estimated percentage of children participating in the program who are at\nrisk of educational failure;\n(g) Information on the training and qualifications of program staff and\ndocumentation that the staff meet required standards;\n(h) A budget and per-child expenditure estimate;\n(i) A plan to facilitate active parental involvement in the preschool pro gram,\nincluding provisions for complementary parent education when appropriate;\n(j) Facilities and equipment which are appropriate for young children;\n(k) The days of the week and hours of a day during which the program shall\noperate;\n(l) A plan for coordinating the program with existing medical and social services,\nincluding a child development and health screening component;\n(m) Assurances that participants shall receive breakfast or lunch;\n(n) Program sites which meet state and local licensure requirements;\n(o) A plan for coordinating program philosophy and activities with the local\ndistrict's primary school program;\n(p) An evaluation component; and\n(q) Certification from the local Head Start director that the Head Start program is\nfully utilized pursuant to subsection (4) of this section.\n(7) If the superintendent and local Head Start director are unable to reach an agreement\non whether a Head Start program is fully utilized, the superintendent or local Head\nStart director shall notify the chief state school officer. The local Head Start director\nshall provide the chief state school officer all information relevant to the utilization\nof the Head Start program. Within thirty (30) days of notification from the\nsuperintendent or local Head Start director, the  chief state school officer shall make\na determination of whether a Head Start program is fully utilized and may execute\nthe certification required by subsection (6)(q) of this section on behalf of the local\nHead Start director.\n(8) Programs shall reflect  an equitable geographic distribution representative of all\nareas of the Commonwealth.","path":["KRS Chapter 157"],"source_url":"https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=58162","current_through":"Includes enactments through the 2026 Regular Session","vintage":"09/05/2026","retrieved_at":"2026-09-05T20:51:02Z","sha256":"bdf771345f5d29d655ada08f9e719f9f4a78d1000bd4457676fd8e30b1b81244","source_id":"us-ky","stale":false,"prev":"us-ky/krs-157.317","next":"us-ky/krs-157.318"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}